Combined closure and sealing assembly



Nov. 23, 1965 E. DAVIDSON 3,219,222

COMBINED CLOSURE AND SEALING ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 24, 1964 l BJVIIIIA VIIIIIIIIIII; VIIIIIII/ /4 BY!) WLZEH.

United States Patent O 3,219,222 CUMBINED CLOSURE AND SEALING ASSEMBLY Emil Davidson, Scarsdale, N.Y., assignor to Guild l/Iollders, Inc., Elmsford, N.Y., a corporation of New Filed Feb. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 346,604 Claims. (Cl. 21S-40) The present invention relates generally to closures and sealing devices, and in particular to a combined closure and sealing assembly for a bottle.

A typical bottle includes a neck terminating a neck top wall and having external and internal neck walls meeting the neck top wall at corresponding outer and inner junctions. Usually, such bottles are made of glass and there is ever present the problem of achieving a leakproof seal between a cap or closure for the bottle and the neck thereof in the region of the neck top wall. In a bottle closure of this general type, a number of problems are presented which effect the provision of 'an adequate seal including minor imperfections in the external threads on the neck, minor irregularities in the cap, and loss of tolerances in the manufacture and/ or assembly of the sealing member and the cap. If, for example, the external threads on the neck have minor imperfections, there is a possibility that the cap will not be pulled axially in relation to the neck of the bottle and thereby result in a leaking closure. These problems are somewhat magnified when employing caps and closures which are relatively small in size wherein the difficulty of holding close tolerances becomes more pronounced. There exists .a need for an improved closure and sealing assembly which takes into account the aforesaid problems encountered during normal mass production manufacture and enables the provisions of an optimum seal at relatively low unit cost.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved closure and sealing assembly for a bottle which realizes one or more of lthe aforesaid objectives. Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide a closure incorporating a sealing member which may yield and accommodate to any irregularities in the neck of the bottle to thereby assure proper sealing about the neck despite the normal variables which are encountered during the mass production manufacture of glass bottles and/ or caps.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating objects and features of the present invention, there is provided a combined closure and sealing assembly for a bottle including a neck having external and internal neck walls and a neck top wall extending there between which comprises a cap including a top wall and a depending body wall cooperating to form an internal seat. A sealing member is disposed Within the seat and includes a body disposed in space relation to the top wall and of an extent to project radially outwardly of the neck top wall. The sealing member further includes inner and outer footings projecting upwardly from the body and abutting the top wall for suspending the body below the top wall of the cap. The inner footing is disposed inwardly of the internal neck wall and the outer footing is disposed outwardly of the external neck wall and are operative to suspend an annualar sealing section of the body in confronting relation to the neck top wall. Interengaging means are provided between the external neck wall of the bottle and one of the cap and the sealing member for releasably securing the assembly to the bottle with the sealing section in contact with the neck top wall. The spacing between the inner and outer footings enables the sealing section to yield upwardly ICC into the space between the footings such that the sealing section will accommodate itself to successive peripheral portions of the neck top wall.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred but nonetheless illustrative embodiment demonstrating objects and features of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is an exploded and partially sectioned view of a cap and sealing member or insert demonstrating features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the combined closure and sealing assembly of FIG. l shown in its assembled condition and in threaded engagement with the neck of a bottle;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a modified sealing member or insert demonstrating further features of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4 4 of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrow; and,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the modified sealing member or insert shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 as assembled into a cap and engaged with the threaded neck of a bottle.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. l and 2 a combined closure and sealing assembly, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, for use on a bottle 12 including a neck 14 having an external neck wall 16, an internal neck wall 18 defining a neck bore terminating at an upper open entry end, and a neck top wall 20 extending between the external and internal neck wall 16, 18. In this illustrative embodiment, the external neck wall 16 is provided with integral threads 22. It is to be understood however that other means for engaging the closure 10 with the bottle 12 are within the contemplation of the present invention, including provision for establishing a snap fit.

In accordance with the present invention, the combined closure and sealing assembly 10 includes a cap 24 and a sealing member or insert 26. The cap 24 is illustrated as including a relaitvely fiat top wall 28 and a depending substantially cylindrical body wall 30. The depending body wall 30 has an internal surface 30a which is formed with an integral thread 30C complementary with the thread 22 on the neck 14 of the bottle 12. The internal surface 30a bounds a neck-receiving cavity which receives the neck of the bottle upon engaging the cap 24 with the bottle 12, as seen in FIG. 2. The upper end of the body wall 30 of the cap is formed with an internal cylindrical surface 3% which coacts with the underside 28b of the top wall 28 to form an internal circular seat 32 which receives the sealing member or insert 26 which is force fitted therein as seen best in FIG. 2.

The sealing member or insert 26 is fabricated on any appropriate yieldable material, such as a moldable plastic (i.e., polyethelyene) and includes a sealing body or base 34 which is adapted to be disposed in space relation beneath the top wall 28 of the cap 24 and is of an annular extent to project radially outwardly of the neck top wall 20, as seen in FIG. 2. Projecting upwardly from the sealing body or base 34 are respective inner and outer D annular footings 36, 38 which project upwardly from the sealing body 34 and abut the top wall 28 for suspend- Ving the sealing body 34 in spaced relation to the top wall and in position to engage the neck top wall 20, as seen in FIG. 2. The inner footing 38 is substantially cylindrical and is disposed inwardly of the internal neck wall 18 of the neck 14 while the outer footing 36 is likewise cylindrical and is disposed outwardly of the external neck wall 16. The inner and outer footings 33, 36 are effective or operative to suspend an annular sealing section of the sealing body or base 34 in confronting relation to the neck top wall 20. Specifically, the radial location of the inner footing 38 is selected to be inwardly of the limits of the neck top wall 20 or the cross section of the neck 14 and defines the outer periphery of a central or inner section 34a of the sealing body 34 which confronts the neck bore defined by the internal neck wall 18. Further, the inner footing 3S defines the corresponding inner periphery of an annular or outer section 3412 which confronts the neck top wall 20, with the outer footing being at a radial location outwardly of the neck top wall and the cross section of the neck 14 to define the outer periphery of the outer section 34b. The length of the footings 36, 3S and the depth of the seat 32 are selected such that the sealing member or base 34 has its underside substantially in coplanar relation with the entry end 32a of the seat 32 which entry end is defined at the junction between the inner wall surfaces 30a, 30b, as seen best in FIG. l.

It will be appreciated that the inner and outer footings 38, 36 suspend the annular or outer section 34h of the sealing body 34 such that the latter may accommodate to irregularities in the neck top wall 20 at successive circumferential locations upon engagement of the closure with the bottle 12. In a sense, the mounting arrangement for the sealing body 34 of the sealing member 26 permits the sealing section 34b to float such that the sealing member 34 is capable of correcting misalignments and minor variations which result during the mass production manufacture of the closure 10 and the bottle 12. Specifically, it will be appreciated that the toroidal space dened between the footings 36, 38 and above the sealing section 34b permits the sealing section to accommodate at various locations about the circumferential extent of the upper end of the neck 14 to the conditions which occur at such successive locations such that the actual variations of the neck top wall from the intended shape will be accommodated 'to by a greater or lesser distortion of the sealing section 3412 into the space between the footings 36, 38. It will be appreciated that the sealing member or insert 26 may be accommodated within a corresponding circular seat formed in a cap of any desired ornamentation such that effective sealing can be provided with caps of different configurations.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 3 to 5 inclusive, there is shown a further embodiment of the invention wherein the sealing member or insert is provided with means for interengaging the neck of the bottle rather than providing the same on the cap proper. Since this further embodiment is similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. l and 2 in most respects, the same reference numerals will be applied thereto as part of a 100 series. Specifically, the closure 110 includes a cap 124 and a sealing member or insert 126. The cap 124 includes a top wall 128 and a depending body Wall 130 which defines an internal seat 132 having the sealing member or insert 126 force fitted therein, as seen in FIG. 5. The sealing member or insert 126 includes a sealing body 134 extending transversely of the member 126 intermediate the ends thereof and upwardly directed footings 136, 138 which delineate an inner or central section 134a of the sealing body 134 and an outer or annular section 134b. Depending from the intermediate sealing body 134 is a neckengaging wall 140 which is formed internally with integral threads 140a which are complementary to the threads 22 on the neck 14 of the bottle 12. In this embodiment, the depending neck-engaging wall 140 and the sealing body or base 134 cooperate to define a neck-receiving cavity, as may be appreciated by inspecting FIG. 5.

Upon threading the assembly of the cap 124 and the sealing member 126 of the closure 110 onto the neck 14 of the bottle 12, the annual sealing section 134b comes into contact with the top wall 22 of the neck 14 and is deformed to accommodate to any irregularities existing therein and/ or to any minor misalignments which might exist incident to the manufacture of the closure, or the bottle, or both.

1n the several embodiments, it will be appreciated that the dimensions of the footings, particularly the cross sec-l tion thereof, are selected to assure that the sealing body or base is suspended in a manner such that it will accommodate to the actual conditions encountered during use, with no tendency for the footings to buckle incident to the axial pressures applied thereto upon engaging the closure with the bottle. Although the invention has been specifically illustrated as applied to bottles having externally threaded necks, it will be appreciated that a snap-interengagement may be achieved between the closure and the bottle, particularly in the embodiment wherein the bottle-engaging means is provided on the yieldable insert.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What I claim is:

1. In a closure for a bottle including a neck having an internal neck wall bounding a neck bore terminating at its upper end in a neck opening and a neck top wall extending outwardly from said neck opening, a sealing member fabricated of yieldable material comprising a body of an extent to bridge said neck opening and to project radially outwardly of said neck top wall, said body including a central section confronting said neck opening and an annular section extending outwardly thereof confronting said neck top wall, a continuous, inner footing projecting upwardly from said body at a radial location inwardly of said neck top wall and deiining the outer periphery of said central section and the corresponding inner periphery of said annular section, and an outer footing projecting upwardly from said body at a radial location outwardly of said neck top wall and defining the outer periphery of said annular section, `said inner and outer footings suspending said annular section such that the latter may accommodate to irregularities in said neck top wall at successive circumferential locations upon engagement of said closure with said bottle.

2. A closure for a bottle as dened in claim 1 wherein said sealing member includes a depending side wall surrounding said neck of the bottle and interengaging means are formed between said depending sidewall of said closure and said neck of the bottle for releasably securing said closure on said bottle.

3. In a closure for la glass bottle including a neck having an internal neck wall bounding a neck bore terminating at its upper end in a neck opening and a neck top wall extending outwardly from said neck opening, a sealing member fabricated of a yieldable plastic comprising a body of an annular extent to bridge said neck opening and to project radially outwardly of said neck top wall, said body including a central section confronting said neck opening land an annular section extending outwardly thereof confr-onting said neck top wall, an inner, cylindrical footing projecting upwardly from said body at a radial location inwardly of said neck top wall and de- Iining the outer periphery of sai-d central section and the corresponding inner periphery of said annular section, and an outer cylindrical footing projecting upwardly from said body at a radial location outwardly of said neck top wall and dening the outer periphery of said annular section, said inner yand -outer footings suspending said annular section such that the latter may accommodate to irregularities in said neck top wall at successive circumferential locations upon engagement of Isaid closure with said bottle.

4. A closure for a bottle as deiined in claim 3 including a cap having a top wail and a depending body wall cooperating therewith to form an internal seat for said sealing member, `said cap being disposed on l[he bottle with the depending wall thereof surrounding the neck of said bottle and interengaging means are formed between said depending side wail of said cap and `said neck of the bottle for releasabiy securing said cap on said bottle with said sealing member in contact with said neck top Wall.

5. A closure for a bottle as defined in claim 3 wherein said sealing member includes a depending side wall surrounding said neck of the bottle, and interengaging means are formed between said depending wall of the sealing member and said neck for reieasabiy securing said closure on said bottle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,989,204 6/1961 Marx et al 21S-43 3,088,616 5/1963 Preda 21S- 43 3,099,361 7/1963 Ruetz 215-46 FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A CLOSURE FOR A BOTTLE INCLUDING A NECK HAVING AN INTERNAL NECK WALL BOUNDING A NECK BORE TERMINATING AT ITS UPPER END IN A NECK OPENING AND A NECK TOP WALL EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID NECK OPENING, A SEALING MEMBER FABRICATED OF YIELDABLE MATERIAL COMPRISING A BODY OF AN EXTENT TO BRIDGE SAID NECK OPENING AND TO PROJECT RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF SAID NECK TOP WALL, SAID BODY INCLUDING A CENTRAL SECTION CONFRONTING SAID NECK OPENING AND AN ANNULAR SECTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREOF CONFRONTING SAID NECK TOP WALL, A CONTINUOUS, INNER FOOTING PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BODY AT A RADIAL LOCATION INWARDLY OF SAID NECK TOP WALL AND DEFINING THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID CENTRAL SECTION AND THE CORRESPONDING INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID ANNULAR SECTION, AND AN OUTER FOOTING PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BODY AT A RADIAL LOCATION OUTWARDLY OF SAID NECK TOP WALL AND DEFINING THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID ANNULAR SECTION, SAID INNER AND OUTER FOOTINGS SUSPENDING SAID ANNULAR SECTION SUCH THAT THE LATTER MAY ACCOMMODATE TO IRREGULARITIES IN SAID NECK TOP WALL AT SUCCESSIVE CIRCUMFERENTIAL LOCATIONS UPON ENGAGEMENT OF SAID CLOSURE WITH SAID BOTTLE. 